Resource library

The Commission’s Strategic Plan 2025–30 sets a refreshed direction for leading safety and quality improvement across Australia’s healthcare system, with four priority areas.

The Commission today unveiled a new strategic plan and brand – a refreshed direction for leading healthcare improvement over the next five years.

This 'how to' guide will assist managers and clinicians maximise the effectiveness of peer review.

The Australian National Report on the OECD Patient-Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS) outlines key findings from the first international survey of health outcomes and experiences of patients living with chronic conditions who are treated in GP practices.

This 15-page report summarises data findings across 10 health areas, and outlines key insights for improving the quality of care for people living with chronic conditions.

Released by the Commission on 17 July 2025

The OECD Patient-Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS) is the first international survey of health outcomes and experiences of patients living with chronic conditions who are treated in GP practices. 

This infographic shows how Australia compares globally, features a data scoreboard of 10 key areas assessed, and provides key data insights on the GP-patient relationship and digital health. 

The Commission is releasing the PaRIS Survey: Australian National Report on 17 July 2025.

Australia is managing chronic conditions well compared to other countries, according to a groundbreaking international survey of patients on their health outcomes and experiences with GP practices.

Released 17 July 2025

Consultation on the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (third edition) has commenced. 

You are invited to provide feedback to the Commission. Your input will help shape the new standards.

The first consultation is open from 9 July to 30 September 2025. Visit our Consultation page.

The Commission has developed the self-assessment tool as part of a suite of resources to assist community-managed mental health service providers to implement the National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations (NSQMHCMO Standards). This guide provides step-by-step instructions for completing the self-assessment tool.

This fact sheet describes where service providers using a risk management approach will assess the risks associated with each action in the National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations (NSQMHCMO Standards). The risk assessment findings will help you to prioritise and mitigate risks identified as you implement the standards.

The Commission has developed an accreditation process for the National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations (NSQMHCMO Standards), which will operate under the AHSSQA Scheme. This fact sheet outlines the process for service providers seeking accreditation.

This document provides information for APAS contributors on verification rules for OrgTRx.

Consultation on the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (third edition) has commenced. 

This Forum Information Sheet is for participants attending our forums. In these forums we want your views on the questions outlined in this document.

The first consultation is open from 9 July to 30 September 2025. Visit our Consultation page.

Consultation on the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (third edition) has commenced. 

You are invited to provide written feedback to the Commission, addressing all or any of the following questions. Your input will help shape the new standards.

The first consultation is open from 9 July to 30 September 2025. Visit our Consultation page.

Macquarie University conducted a Rapid Literature Review in March 2024, highlighting the widespread adoption of pathology Point of Care Testing (PoCT) devices in Australia. The Executive Summary highlights the significant benefits of PoCT, but also notable safety and quality challenges. 

This fact sheet provides guidance on how an incident arising from a clinical trial is identified, reported, and managed in Health Service Organisations (HSOs).

Spirometry is a common lung function test used to monitor and diagnose lung and airway conditions. This factsheet includes practical strategies to help reduce the risk of infection transmission during spirometry testing.

This fact sheet provides practical strategies for the safe use of CLONazepam oral liquid in clinical practice and includes standardised recommendations for the safe prescribing, dispensing and administering of CLONazepam oral liquid for clinicians and health service organisations.

STORY OF EXCELLENCE

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is essential to safeguard the effectiveness of antimicrobial medicines. Beyond annual point prevalence surveys, the Canberra Health Services AMS team decided they needed more detail, more often. After implementing monthly audits, the team could monitor the impact of new initiatives such as verifying antibiotic allergies and real-time prompts for guideline-recommended prescribing.

STORY OF EXCELLENCE

A short notice accreditation assessment found monitoring of clinical variation needed strengthening. Northern NSW Local Health District had 60 days to improve its monitoring and reporting processes, before the next follow-up assessment. They took stock and set about building a stronger, data-driven system that is supported by clinicians - starting with some innovative changes to their audit tool.

The 10th Anniversary Clinical Care Standards Excellence Awards were announced in July 2025. 

STORY OF EXCELLENCE

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition which needs prompt identification for appropriate management. The team at Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network led the way in designing a sepsis pathway tailored to local needs, across a large regional and remote area of South Australia. Initiatives to train new staff and a 'Sepsis Pharmacy Box' have helped to cement these changes. Dashboards convey the ongoing improvement from these changes in staff lounges and clinical spaces.

STORY OF EXCELLENCE

Communication gaps can arise when patients leave hospital and return to the care of their GP. This may lead to patients using opioids for longer than intended. Opioid management plans (OMPs) are a tool to address this. Austin Health integrated OMPs into the workflow of their electronic medical records system. The team deployed user testing to emphasise the tool was here to help, not to hinder, and the data speaks for itself.

STORY OF EXCELLENCE

Time is everything when it comes to stroke care. Realising they were not treating patients within the recommended timeframes, the Stroke Services team at University Hospital Geelong acted. This included an overhaul of the stroke pathway and staging real-time Code Stroke simulations.

The 10th Anniversary Clinical Care Standards Excellence Awards were announced in July 2025. 

This is one of a suite of resources to support aged care providers safely provide evidence-based care to older people as described in the Aged Care Quality Standards. 

This is one of a suite of resources to support aged care providers to deliver evidence-based care to older people who receive government funded aged care services. 

This stakeholder kit has been developed to support your communication efforts and raise awareness of the Atlas Focus Report: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), released by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. 

This is one of a suite of resources to support aged care providers to deliver evidence-based care to older people who receive government funded aged care services. 

This fact sheet is informed by the Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard (CCS), developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. The CCS describes the safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for people with cognitive disability or impairment, in a way that upholds their rights, dignity, health and quality of life.

The Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People: Best Practice Guidelines for Community Care in Australia (Falls Guidelines for Community Care) aims to improve the safety and quality of care for older people and offers a nationally consistent approach to preventing falls and harm from falls in community care settings.

The Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People: Best Practice Guidelines for Australian Residential Aged Care Services (Falls Guidelines for RACS) aims to improve the safety and quality of care for older people and offers a nationally consistent approach to preventing falls and harm from falls in residential aged care settings.

This fact sheet outlines recommendations for preventing falls in hospital as well as the major changes to the 2025 Falls Guidelines.